When the Past Comes Back to Haunt You
by QueenCate
Summary: [Oneshot, post season 2] She knew this would happen. It had only been a question of when.


Veronica still couldn't believe she was at Hearst College instead of Stanford, her dream school. Somehow, when it came time to actually think about going away she found that she didn't want to leave. She would miss her father and Wallace and, in a weird, twisted way, Neptune. She was still convinced she had some sort of brain tumor that was making her feel this way. And yet, there she was, standing outside her very first class: Psych 101. She took a deep breath and walked in. As she walked up the aisle to find an empty seat, she surveyed the other students milling about. They all seemed nice enough, even though she knew that was unlikely (they were still in Neptune, after all), and the best part? She knew exactly none of them and they didn't know her. A small smile stretched across her lightly glosses lips and she took a seat about halfway back, right on the end of a row. Maybe this would be okay.

A moment later, she was mentally kicking herself for being stupid enough to be optimistic. Logan Echolls had just walked through the door. He caught her eye and smirked, making his way towards her. Veronica dropped her forehead onto the desk and moaned, "Why?"

"Aw, Veronica, is that any way to treat an old friend?"

"No, but you're not exactly a friend, are you?" she asked, lifting her head off the desk.

Logan's hands flew to his heart and he pretended to be offended. "You wound me, Ronnie."

Veronica rolled her eyes. Blessed silence fell between them but Logan, being, well, Logan, couldn't let that go.

"So, uh, what happened to Stanford?" he asked, her voice surprisingly free of any sort of sarcasm or malice.

She looked over at him. "Long story. I thought you weren't going to college."

He shrugged. "Most of my friends, Dick included, are and I'd be bored."

Veronica was taken aback that he would admit something like that, but she hid her surprise well. A thought struck her and she felt horror slowly seep through her. "Logan…" she began slowly. "Please tell me Dick didn't come here."

Logan smirked and nodded.

"But how?" asked a shocked Veronica. "He's stupid!"

"Money talks," Logan said by way of explanation. "Something you wouldn't know about."

Veronica shot him a dirty look and turned to face front. The professor had entered the room. The other students settled into their seats and the professor began lecturing, but Veronica found her mind wandering. She had been doing that a lot lately and her thoughts always wound up dwelling n the fact that Aaron Echolls was dangerously close to being acquitted of Lilly's murder. That would, in no way, make him a free man. He still had two counts of attempted murder and several assault charges, among other things, to face. But still, Veronica couldn't help wondering if maybe, just maybe, Aaron hadn't killed Lilly. How else could Duncan's hair have gotten on that Oscar statue? It was possible that Kendall had arranged it. She wouldn't put it past the woman who had, with the help of the Fighting Fitzpatricks, orchestrated the bus crash in order to cash in of Dick and Beaver's life insurance policy. Lamb and his deputies were already investigating Lilly's murder again. Veronica had to blink back tears. Even now, three years after her murder, Lilly was still turning everyone's lives upside down.

Veronica's reverie was broken when two of Lamb's deputies entered the classroom. The professor stopped mid-sentence and began a hushed conversation with them. One of the deputies, Sachs, kept glancing in her and Logan's direction. Veronica looked across the aisle at Logan and said, "They're here for one of us."

Logan, who had also picked up on this, nodded. "Or both."

Veronica looked at the shocked look on her professor's face and turned back at Logan. "Five bucks says it's a felony charge."

Logan studied the two deputies that were now heading their way. "Make it ten." They shook on it and turned to face the deputies. The other students were watching them with undisguised interest.

"Deputy Sachs, what can I do ya for?" Veronica asked brightly.

"Veronica, the sheriff needs to ask you a few questions. You two, Logan."

"But we're in the middle of such a riveting class, Deputy Sachs," Logan said earnestly. "So much for 'No Child Left Behind.'"

The radio strapped to Sachs's shoulder crackled to life. "They giving you trouble, Sachs?"

"Yeah," Sachs answered.

A few moments later, Sheriff Lamb strode through the door.

Veronica acted delighted. "Oh, look, Logan! They're bringing in the big guns!"

"Let's go, you two. Down to the station. I don't have to cuff you _yet_, but nothing would make me happier."

"What's the charge?" Veronica asked.

"I think I know the answer," Logan chimed in. "Let's see, I probably killed another biker. Oh, I hope it was the bald one. And you, I don't know, you made me a fake ID."

Lamb walked over and hauled Logan to his feet. Sachs did the same to Veronica, except he was much nicer about it. Veronica and Logan were both cuffed.

"Veronica Mars," Sachs began. "You're under arrest as an accomplice in the abduction of Faith Manning and obstruction of justice."

"Logan Echolls, you're under arrest as an accomplice in the abduction of Faith Manning."

Veronica closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. They must have found Duncan. She knew this would happen. It had only been a question of when. She had hoped it would wait until later in life, preferably when she was old and wrinkled, but the law had a nasty habit of not caring about that. Now all she could do was hope Duncan hadn't confessed and that they could find a way out of this.

---x---

The deputies, one of whom was the guy who doubled as a bouncer at Club Thin, led Veronica and Logan to separate interrogation rooms. Logan shot Veronica a comforting smile, even though he knew she was more than capable of holding her during an interrogation.

Lamb entered Veronica's room after several long minutes. He remained silent as he sat across from her and stared.

"Cat got your tongue? Or is this another one of your stellar intimidation techniques?"

"We found Duncan Kane," Lamb informed her.

"Wow, you did your job. Would you like a ticker-tape parade, or will a simple plaque suffice?"

"Yeah, we'll see how sarcastic you are when you're locked up in County. A face like yours? You'll be someone's girlfriend within an hour."

"I can only hope she's as pretty as you, Lamb chop," Veronica remarked. She forced her face to remain neutral. There had to be a way out of this. She was Veronica Mars, she always found a way.

"I know you helped Duncan Kane kidnap Faith Manning. So why don't you just admit it and make things easy on everyone? Your dad included."

Veronica almost lost her struggle with her facial expression at the mention of her father, but she managed to keep her face impassive. "Too bad I have nothing to confess."

"What if I told you Duncan confessed, implicated you and your buddy Logan Echolls?"

Veronica looked thoughtful. She tapped her chin with her index finger. "Hmm, I'd say you're a bad liar."

Lamb leaned forward. "You were seen going in and out of Duncan Kane's hotel suite several times during the days before the abduction, after the two of you supposedly broke up."

"It's not just Duncan's suite," Veronica mumbled, sounding slightly bashful. She watched Lamb out of the corner of her eye, waiting for him make the connection.

"You weren't visiting Duncan Kane?"

"What is it with you and saying people's full names all the time?"

"Answer the question, Mars."

"No, I wasn't visiting Duncan."

"Who were you visiting?"

Veronica started at him hard, wondering if he was, in fact, as dumb as he looked.

"For the record," he added snottily.

"Logan."

"And why were you visiting Logan Echolls, another one of your ex-boyfriends? Let me guess, you conveniently got back together with Logan just in time for it to supply you with a cover story while you helped Duncan Kane pull his disappearing act."

"Not back together. Just sleeping together," Veronica said, meeting Lamb's eyes. Veronica had known it was impossible to keep her visits to the Neptune Grand completely under wraps. This was their cover story. Logan would be telling Lamb the same thing in a few minutes. And if they asked Duncan about it, he would act appropriately outraged.

Lamb rested his chin in his hand. "You sure do get around, Mars."

Veronica smiled humorlessly. "Yep, that's me. Veronica Mars: student by day, hooker by night." Veronica got up from her chair. "Is that all?"

"For now," Lamb told her. He pushed the intercom. "Sachs, please escort Miss Mars to a holding cell." He shot Veronica a nasty smile. "We need to make sure the Echolls kid backs up your story. Then maybe we'll let you go."

Veronica crossed her arms, but said nothing. Deputy Sachs walked in. He gave her a sympathetic smile and led her away. They passed Logan's room on the way. Logan gave her a panicked look (though she was sure that only she could read the fear in his eyes) and she responded with a reassuring smile. He relaxed visibly and Veronica continued on her way. The door to the cell opened and Veronica stepped inside. There was a single man in the corner, his back to her. He looked familiar.

"Duncan?" she asked tentatively. He turned and her breath caught in her chest.

---x---

"Logan Echolls."

"Sheriff Lamb." Logan rested his legs on the table and leaned back in his chair. "Now that the formalities are out of the way, how's life? Still pathetically single?" He acted sympathetic.

Lamb fixed Logan with what was supposed to be a threatening glare, but it just made him look stupid.

"I think you'll need to watch a few more episodes of _NYPD Blue_ before you get that right," Logan commented.

"Cut the crap, Echolls. I know you helped Duncan Kane and Veronica Mars smuggle Faith Manning out of the country."

"Oh, really? Is that what Ronnie told you?" Logan shook his head. "I guess she's too embarrassed to admit why she was really in the hotel suite." Logan leaned forward conspiratorially and stage whispered, "I was screwing her."

Lamb leaned back in his seat and studied Logan. "Veronica Mars was seen entering and leaving the hotel several times between her supposed break-up with Duncan Kane and the abduction of Faith Manning. You expect me to believe that you and Veronica Mars were having sex each of those times? Even when Duncan Kane himself was in the suite?"

Logan shrugged. "What can I say? The ladies just can't resist me. Of course, we hid it from Donut. V snuck in while he was in another room and let's just say she didn't leave until long after he went to bed. Would you like the details, or is that enough?"

"You're lying to me."

"You're just jealous." Logan smirked. "Let me tell you, for someone so short, Veronica is a dynamo."

Lamb got to his feet and called Sachs to bring Logan to holding.

"I'll see you soon," Lamb said threateningly.

Logan sighed heavily and put his hand on Lamb's shoulder. "Lamb, we've been over this. Your dreams don't count."

---x---

Veronica stared disbelievingly.

"Veronica?" He looked incredulous.

She ran forward and threw her arms around him. "I was so worried. When I heard about the kidnapping…"

Duncan averted his eyes. They couldn't talk openly here, even though it was quite possibly the last chance they would ever have to see each other, to hug each other, to love each other. They had to keep up the charade. "I'm sorry you got involved with all this. If I had known the police would come after you like this, I would have never done it."

Veronica lifted his chin so that his eyes were level with hers. "Yes, you would have. And I'm proud of you." She smiled and winked. "I just wish you'd warned me beforehand."

He returned the smile. "Yeah, I guess I should have. It wasn't fair of me to break up with you the way I did." He reached out and stroked her cheek. "I still love you, you know."

She couldn't bring herself to return his words. It would hurt too much, knowing that they were going to be separated once again so soon after. Instead, she told him, "I'm going to find a way to get you out of here." Off his hesitant look, she added, "A perfectly legal way, I swear." She held up three fingers. "Scout's honor."

"You weren't a Girl Scout, Veronica," Duncan pointed out with a laugh.

"Technicality," she said with a wave of her hand.

He laughed and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head.

The cell door opened and in walked Logan. "You know, I should press charges against you, Sachy. For unnecessary roughness. Now if you were a girl, I'd be flattered. But I just don't swing that way, Sachy."

Veronica rolled her eyes. "Logan, shut up."

Logan swung around to face them. "DK, my man. How was Mexico?"

"It was something," Duncan replied, getting to his feet and hugging the guy who had been like his brother for years, epic fights and all. "I missed you all, though."

Logan ran his finger down the side of his own face, as if tracing a tear track. "Aw, you're making me get all choked up," he remarked dryly. But he was smiling, too.

Veronica glanced around their cell. "Can you imagine the look on Lilly's face right now?"

Logan's face darkened for a moment, but then he grinned nostalgically. "Yeah, she's probably mad we waited til now to get arrested together."

"I think she's proud," Duncan said softly.

Veronica smiled softly and squeezed his hand. "I think you're right."

The cell door clattered open. "Aw, how touching."

"Lamb! Now we can really party!" Logan exclaimed.

"Zip it, rich boy."

Logan pretended to write something on his hand. "Discrimination," he narrated slowly.

Lamb sighed. "What're you doing, Echolls?"

Logan smiled brightly. "Oh, nothing. Just making my list of complaints. So far, we have unnecessary roughness, sexual harassment, discrimin–" He broke off as Veronica slapped her hand over his mouth.

She looked at Lamb. "Can we leave now? You know, since your charges are completely false and you've got nothing to hold us on?"

Lamb frowned, his expression dark, but he nodded. "But don't leave town."

"Leave good ol' Neptune?" Veronica asked, as if shocked by the suggestion. "Why would we ever want to do that?" She walked back to Duncan and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I love you," she whispered fiercely. Because if she could admit that, what else did she have? She loved him, and nothing, not even several feet of concrete and barbed wire could change that.

"I love you, too," he whispered back, embracing her tightly. "Take care of yourself."

She nodded, wiping tears from her eyes. She stepped back and allowed Logan to say his goodbyes. They opted for a 'manly' hug. Logan patted Duncan a few times before pulling away. As he stepped behind her, Veronica could have sworn she saw unshed tears glistening in his eyes. Lamb led the way down the hall, away from the cell and the first guy she had ever loved. She glanced back and smiled sadly at Duncan, who was pressed up against the bars, watching her go. He waved miserably and she returned it with just as much misery.

As she turned back around, she felt a hand squeeze her shoulder. She glanced up and saw Logan watching her, a comforting look on his face. She knew then that neither of them would forget about Duncan. And they would find a way to save him, because to lose yet another member of their fabulous foursome was unthinkable.


End file.
